Mysore/Mysuru: With Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) cases rising in the district, Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri said that de-worming tablets will help in mitigating Black Fungus among patients with co-morbidities, especially diabetic patients.

She was speaking at the De-worming Day programme organised at Chamundipuram Primary Health Centre (Akkammanni Hospital) here this morning.

Expressing concern that the district as on Thursday has reported 45 cases of Black Fungus, with more than 20 of them in the last three days alone, Rohini said that de-worming tablets (Albendazole) will help expel worms from the stomach and prevent any sort of infection. 

Noting that infections due to hookworms and other parasites in stomach lead to loss of blood and other ailments, she said that diabetes patients are more vulnerable to Black Fungus. 

Pointing out that there are over 75,000 diabetic patients in the district, with 40,000 of them in Mysuru city alone, she said that  all diabetic patients above 18 years of age will be given de-worming tablets for free, with ASHA and other health workers put in charge of distribution. 

Continuing, the DC said that there are 4,000 patients with co-morbidities in city and 2,000 in rural parts of the district. A survey will be carried out to find out how many of them have tested positive for COVID and the kind of treatment they are undergoing, she said. 

Stating that the District Administration is planning to inject co-morbidities patients with Vitamin injections, she said that excessive use of steroids and antibiotics will bring down immunity in patients.

Admitting that the district was short of medicines for Black Fungus, she said that medicine stocks  are likely to arrive in city in the next few days. 

District Diabetes Control Officer Dr. L. Ravi, COVID Bed Management Nodal Officer Dr. P. Ravi and others were present.